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This Pineapple Christmas cake recipe is well known to New Zealanders, and has been ever since our pre-eminent chef Alison Holst first made it on national television 30 years ago. It has received thousands of positive reviews and comments over the years and many look to it as the tried and true ‘go-to’ Christmas cake. … Read more
Take a peek at any Kiwi dinner table on Christmas Day and you’ll almost always find that iconic, and most Kiwi of desserts – Pavlova. If you haven’t tried Pavlova, you’re in for a real treat – clouds of sweet marshmallow encased in crunchy meringue, topped with lashings of cream and tart fresh fruit. Simple, … Read more
It’s exactly a month ago that I made this celebration cake for my brother’s birthday. Yes, it’s taken that long for me to get around to posting it – what with all the Christmas baking and cooking over the last month, I just haven’t had a chance till now. So, without further ado, let me … Read more
Time for the annual work Christmas party. My colleague and I thought it might be nice to give individually wrapped biscuits to every staff member as a little ‘thank you’ gift, and gingerbread seemed like the obvious choice. Then it suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never made gingerbread before… how weird is that?! So, … Read more
Want something a little different for Christmas Day? You might like to try this White Christmas Eggnog Chiffon Cake. A chiffon cake, for those unfamiliar with it, is one made without the usual butter, instead using vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder. The characteristic light texture is created by beating the egg whites … Read more
It’s Christmas Day; a day of celebration and togetherness. And, yes… if you’re lucky, lots of presents, copious amounts of food and plenty of eggnog. I’ve made eggnog previously – that one being uncooked, which was perfectly yummy. This year, however, I got tempted to try a recipe from Meredith Steele, found on Jamie Oliver’s website … Read more
I first made Advocaat (a traditional Dutch eggnog) for my father at Christmas time when I was somewhere in my mid-teens. It was my first time, and my last time… Knowing nothing of the fine art of cooking a custard, I overheated it and the mixture split. Determined not to waste the expensive ingredients, I gave it to him anyway. Not … Read more
It’s that time of the year again – the annual work Christmas party. Time to play cricket on the lawn (yep, that’s Christmas in the southern hemisphere for you), get dressed up in daft costumes, and exchange Secret Santa gifts. And, of course, the time honoured ritual of ‘bringing a plate’. This year I decided … Read more
It’s Christmas Day – time to break out the eggnog! It’s my first time making it and it will certainly not be the last. I’m happy to report that it was utterly delicious and went down very well as a lead-in to Christmas brunch. I really liked this recipe from The Associated Press, found on … Read more
Nothing says Christmas, in the culinary sense of course, like a rich, dark fruit cake. Packed with dried fruit, nuts, spices and liqueur, it’s the quintessential treat to serve on, and around, the Big Day. Actually, I had no intention of making an alternative to New Zealand’s favourite version – Alison Holst’s Pineapple Christmas Cake. But, when I … Read more
December 20, 2014 I’m not sure why, but New Zealand has been slow to adopt eggnog at Christmas-time. Which is a shame as far as I’m concerned – it’s such a wonderfully decadent hit of boozy cream. So, I thought it was time to remedy the situation, at least within our own household, and make some … Read more
Mmmm, there’s nothing quite like the smell of bread baking in the oven, particularly when it’s filled with spices. The smell permeates the house and makes you feel good about life. And so it was today when I made Christmas Stollen for the first time ever. Stollen has long been one of my favourite breads. … Read more